Delixter



Sept. 5, 1944. J mc Re. 22,542

DELINTER Original Filed Feb. 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 nal '0! g "i 1'o VACUUM FAN INVENTOR. JOHN B.R|CKER- AT TY Sept. 5, 1944.

2 J. B. RICKER Re. 22,542

DELINTER Original Filed Feb. '12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

7 JOHN- s. RbcKEa' 8 BY $22 I ATTY Reissued Sept. 5, 1944 DELINTER- J o-hn B. Ricker, Memphis, Tenn. Original No. 2,310,598, dated February 9, 1943,

Serial No. 430,577,

February 12, 1942. Application for reissue April 8, 1943, Serial No. 482,339

18 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in delinters, such as are used in oil mills prior to crushing the seed, and particularly to delinters of the saw type which remove the residual linters from the cotton seed after the seed has been subjected to ordinary ginning and the long cotton fiber removed.

The present application is a continuation in part of my pending application, Serial No. 375,391, filed January 22, 1941, now Patent No. 2,331,423, issued October 12, 1943.

Since the invention by Whitney of the cotton gin the cotton fiber has been removed from the seed by saws having sharply pointed arcuate teeth with under-cut throats, which teeth hook into the fiber and pull it off the seed, leaving a considerable amount of lint from which the longer fibers are broken off and also a certain amount of fuzz too short for engagement by the saws.

Cotton fiber or lint removed from the seed by the gin sawsengages rather firmly in the throat I of the saw teeth, and brushes revolving at a much higher rate of speed than the saws are largely used for dislodging the fiber from the saws, the fiber removed being thrown outward from the gin by the brush action. tempts also have been made to substitute for the brush high pressure air currents impinging tangent ally along the line of movement of the saw teeth to dislodge and carry away the fiber, and similarly vacuum action has been tried to establish a high speed current for withdrawing the fiber from teeth throats and discharging it from the gin.

Subsequent to ginning, delinters of various types are used for cutting off the linters left on the seed after the ginning. At the present time these devices are largely of the saw type, difiering primarly from the gin in that the teeth of the saws are straight, though usually not radial, and are of rectangular cross section providing cutting surfaces, and provide little resistance to the d scharge of the lint by centrifugal force, and substantially none to the release of heavier particles of trash and motes. Even so the linters are so light that assistance is necessary to accomplish their removal, and it has been assumed that brushes or high speed pressure air currents must be used. These devices remove the linters, and with them the trash, but they intermix the materials and create such turbulence as to carry substantially all of the motes and trash away with the linters and so reduce the quality of the linters collected as to require subsequent troublesome and expensive processes for cleaning.

My "previous application disclosed a device in which the heavier particles, such as motes and trash, plummeted through a fioating mass of lint, the separation thus accomplished being a substantial advance, in desired separation.

The objects of the present device are:

To provide means and methods for first removing the trash and motes from the saws and subsequently removing the linters;

To provide means for accomplishing the removal and separation which takes advantage of centrifugal force for removing the trashy heavier materials, and inherently therewith minor portions of the lint, and subsequently removing the remaining major portion of the lint and concurrently accomplishing the recapture of these lighter materials and their removal and collection with the major portions of the lint and delivery thereof.

To provide means for adjusting the removal apparatus to conform certain portions thereof to the saws as they are reduced in diameter from time to time by sharpening, and to independently adjust portions of the apparatus to conform it to varying conditions, as of moisture content, and amount and nature of the heavier particles which are to be allowed to discharge independently of the lint removal.

Further objects are:

To improve the design and construction of such apparatus.

Primarily these objects are accomplished by establishing a. discharge opening through which the heavier particles may be directly discharged by centrifugal force and means in connection therewith for controlling the size and positioning of the openingrelative to the saws, and the direction of the controlling surfaces exknding from such opening; and in connection with such controlled opening establishing therebelow and thereafter in discharge'sequence, a passageway conforming closely to the contour of the saws through which air is drawn through a suitable opening positioned to establish air currents augmenting those set up by the saws and opposing air currents meeting the first currents of such opening and opposing those set up by the saw.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the method of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross section of the device taken as ,on the line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a partial rear elevation with the exdesired provided with a shutter treme right side of the view in section on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals:

II are frame parts of the delinter, 3 a saw shaft on which are mounted a bank of saws l5, spaced apart as by collars ll, ordinarily one hundred and five or one hundred forty-one saws being used. H! are ribs which lie between the saws and hold back the seed so that the linters may be stripped from them. 2| is a shaft having blades disposed in adjacency to the saws and ribs to create in the seed a roll, such as inherently set up in a gin by the cotton itself. This roll is mounted in a breast box which includes longitudinally disposed members 23and 25, respective ly vertically adjustable as by screws 21, (one only shown) and downwardly inwardly adjustable by screws 29 (one only shown), whereby the ribs may be lowered and inwardly moved at such times as the saw teeth are sharpened and the diameter of the saws thereby reduced, in order to maintain proper extension ofthe saws through and beyond the ribs; all of such parts, including the adjusting means, being commonly a part of usual delinters. 7

Disposed at opposite ends of the bank of saws are plates 3| (one only shown) which overlap the end saws of the bank and extend rearwardly and downwardly therefrom. The upper front portions of these plates are cut away, as along the lines 3|A, 3|-B, to lie behind the breast box member 23, and rearwardly and beneath the collars I 1 on the saw arbor, the lower portion of the plates, along the cut away line 3|B, being so spaced below the collars as to permit subsequent adjustment of the plates relatively to the saws. The bottom portions of these plates extend forward into adjacency with the forward edges of the saws and underlie the end collars holding the saws. 33 is an air flue, preferably of circular cross section which is disposed lengthwise beneath the bank of saws and preferably at its opposite ends extends beyond the plates 3|, the plates in such case arcuately embracing, and resting on, the upper portion of the fiue and being preferably rigidly secured thereto as by welding. The end plates additionally are rigidly spaced and braced, as by a rod 35 extending from plate to plate, and rigidly secured at its respective ends to said plates.

The opposite ends of the air flue are .closed by heads, as the head 31, which may be solid or if 39 slidably disposed in guideways 39A.

Adjacent its opposite ends the flue is preferably encircled by flat stifiening bands, as the band I, secured to the flue, preferably as by welding, and is provided with laterally extending ears 43, 45, secured preferably to the bands, as by welding, and suitably braced as by gussets 43.-A, 45-A respectively, similarly secured to the bands. The projecting ends of the ears are respectively slidably mounted in suitable vertically disposed guideways 41 and 49, preferably channels, the channel 41 being shown supported and braced by a, frame part I |-'-A and the channel 49 by a transversely disposed angle iron 5| which in turn is secured to the frame parts Secured as by welding to, and extending downward from,the ears, are supportingand adjusting rods 53, 55, which extend through suitable openings in the horizontal leg of the angle 5| and are threaded to receivenuts 53-A, 55-A through which support by, anchorage to, and adjustment vertically relatively to, the angle iron is accomplished.

The flue 33 is longitudinally pertured at 33-A, substantially from end plate to end plate, the slot. being disposed substantially vertically below the saw shaft l3. Extending upward from opposite sides of the slot are walls 51, 59 which extend from end plate to end plate and establish therewith a longitudinally disposed upwardly extending air channel. The upper edges of these channel walls flare respectively outward to hinge pins BI, 63, which extend through the walls 3|. The pins respectively hingedly connect the walls 51, 59, to wing plates 65, 61, arcuately curved to conform more or less closely around the saws. These wing plates extend from end wall to end wall and may be stiffened from time to time as by conformingly curved stiifeners 65A, 6|A. From the hinge pins they extend arcuately out ward and upward, the plate 65 being supported additionally by a rod 69 extending through end plate slots, as the slot 69-A, concentric with the hinge pin 6|, and the plate 61 by a rod 1| extending through end plate slots, as the slot ||A, concentric with the hinge pin 63, the rods being clamped to support the wings in adjusted positions as by the nut 13 (Fig. 2).

The wings have slidably disposed arcuate wing extensions 15, 17 respectively, which are adjustably secured to their respective wings as by the bolts and nuts 19 (Fig. 2), shown extending from the wing extensions 1| through slots IS-A in the wing 61.

The wing extension 11 carries at its upper edge a horizontally disposed pin 8|, which because of necessary adjustments, preferably does not extend through the end walls. This pin serves as a hinge pin for a wing flap 83 which extends adjustably rearwardly and may be supported additionally by a rod 85 extending through end plate slots, as the slot 85A (Fig. 1), and is clamped in similar manner to the rod 1|.

Vertically spaced above the wing flap 83 is an upper flap 81 which is mounted on, and preferably rigidly secured to, a rod 89, having its ends extending through vertically disposed slots, as the slot 9|, in the end plates. This rod may be provided with an adjusting arm 93 exterior to the plate through which adjustment of the angularity of the flap can be readily effected. Holding of the flap in adjusted position is effected as by tightening nut 95 to eifect frictional holding. Obviously the hub of the arm 93 must be slidable along the rod 89, the rod and hole in the hub preferably being square to rpermit sliding and yet efiect turning.

The wing flap 33 and upper flap 8'! cooperate with the end walls 3| to establish the discharge opening through Which'the heavier particles are discharged fromthe saws and by virtue of their adjustability accomplish the proper positioning of the top and bottom edges of the opening. Also by virtue of the angular additional adjustment theycooperate to establish a rearwardly open chamber in which itis definitely possible to recapture at least a major portion of the lint carried away from the saws by the heavy particles.

The air flue 33 is additionally longitudinally shown as circular, these tubular sections being 'flues 98 lead tangentially and substantially horizontally rearward from the bottom of the air flue-33.

In fabricating the structure the air flue 33, preferably of sheet metal, circular in cross section, and of a length greater than the over-all length of the bank of saws is constructed, the ends of this flue being closed by heads, either solid or with shutter closed openings as desired. A rectangular opening slightly longer than the overall length of the bank of saws is cut out longitudinally along what is to be the top of the flue, and an additional longitudinal opening of substantially the same length is cut out in the bottom of the flue, one edge of this latter opening being substantially diametrically opposite the center line of the other opening. Both of these openings preferably extend continuously along the air flue, but if it be found advisable may be interrupted from time to time by bridging members, not shown, which would preserve the continuity of the flue wall across the opening .or openings.

The two end plates 3|, usually of considerably heavier metal, are arcuately cut out to conformingly fit over the upper portion of the flue, these arcuate cuts preferably being substantially semicircular. The end plates are also cut away arcuately about centers which are substantially vertically above the centers of the lower cuts, these latter arcuate cuts 3l-B, each having a radius somewhat greater than the radius of the collars ll of the saw arbor. The plates are also cut away along lines 3l-A extending vertically upward from these arcuate cuts in order to avoid interference with the member 23 of the breast box. The two end members are seated on the upper portion of the air flue adjacent and usually flush with the ends of the upper slot and are securely welded to the flue. Additionally the plates are braced apart by the rod 35.

Either before or after assembling, bands 4| preferably are conformed around and secured to the flue, as by welding, outside of the end plates. Adjacent the level of the center of the flue the ears 43 and 45 are welded to the bands 4| so as to extend substantially horizontally outward therefrom, these ears preferably being stiffened by the gussets 43-A, 45A, also securely welded both to the ears and the bands.

The supporting rods 53, 55 having their lower ends threaded are secured to the underside of the ears, ordinarily by welding, so that they will project vertically downward therefrom. Supporting members, ordinarily angle irons, are apertured for the lower ends of these rods and are secured to frame members of the delinter, the

usual delinters ordinarily having such members admirably adapted thereto. The vertically disposed guideways 49 for the ears 45 are secured and braced to the upper side of the supporting member, and, should space permit or require, similar guideways are erected for the ears 43. Ordinarily, however, space conditions make it more convenient to secure the guideways 41 for the cars 43 to the frame member ll-A of the delinter. The upper ones of the nuts 53A, 55-A are placed on the rods 53, 55. The ears 43 and 45 are placed in their respective guideways and the rods through the openings in the support therefor, and the under ones of the nuts 53-A. 55-A put on the rods to hold them down.

Either before or after assembling in the delinter the suction flues 99 are fabricated and secured around the lower opening or openings in the air flue in position to extend rearwardly beyond the back of the delinter frame. Also the walls v51, 59 are secured along the opposite edges ofthe upper slot and to the end walls=to form the upwardly extending air channelway.

The wing plates 65 and 61 are arcuately curved in cross section to a radius substantially equal to or slightly less than the radius of the sawswhen new, and are hingedly connected, by insertion of the pins BI and .63, to the channel walls 51, 59. The wing extensions 15, 11 are arcuately curved to fit the inside surfaces of, the wing plates and are adjust-ably attached thereto by the bolts and nuts 19. The wing flap 83 is hingedly secured through the pin 8| to the upper edge of the wing extension I'I. The upper wing flap 87 is disposed between the end plates and the pin 89 placed to support it, and the additional supporting rods 6.9,

H, and placed.

It will be understood that the sequence of assembly anderection in the elinter of the various parts is not intended necessarily to be that followed in accomplishing this structure, but may be varied as conditions indicate or require, and that modifications in many of the parts may be necessary to conform the structures to varying design of the delinters with which they are to be used, or may otherwise be found advantageous.

In use the nuts 53-5., 55-A are adjusted .to bring the upper edges of the walls 51 and 59 into adjacency with the saws. The wing plates 65, 61 and their extensions 15, 11 are adjusted into. similar proximity with the saws, the supporting rods 39 and H being moved and clamped to hold the wing plates in position.v The extension 15 is adjusted inwardor outward, as the, case may be, to overlie the member 25 of the breast box.v Wing extension 11 is likewiseadjusted to bring the forward edge of the flap 33 defining the lower edge of the centrifugal-discharge qpeningsubstaritialli' level with the center of the saw arbor and the upper flap 81 is adjusted to :bringitsforward edge to substantially the level of the :lower edge .of the breast box member 23 with its'rear edge extending slightly downward therebelow. Likewise the rear edge of the flap 83 is adjusted, ordinarily to relatively somewhat diverge the two flaps rearwardly and the apparatus is ready to be placed in use.

When the delinter has been started and is in operation the motes and other heavier parts are thrown rearwardly bycentrifugal force dislodging and rearwardly diverting a certain percentage of the lint, but allowing by far the largerportion of the lint to continue movement with the saw. The air withdrawn through thepassageway established by the wing extension I5 and-the wing plate 61 in connection with .the saws and collars- I1 is drawn through the passagewaybetween thechannel walls 51 and 59 into .the air flueand from the air flue through the suction flue materiallyassisting the major portion of the-'lint-to follow around with the saws and lntotheairflue. Also-the much larger channel for the air through the open end mote discharge chamber reduces the speed of flow therethrough sufficiently to prevent diversion of the heavier particles, yet leaves it suflicient to recapture the lint which has been diverted by these discharging particles and add it to the lint following the saws. l

Concurrently air is drawn in through the-channelway' established by 'the'extensio'n. Jand the wing vplate 65 in direction o'pposedto the rotation of the saws whichsuccessfully checks and prevents to a large extent at least the carrying of any lint by the saws past the channelway leading downward into the air flue. 1

of the rearward edge of the upper fiap may be made to reduce the area of therear opening and at'such point increase the speed of inward'flow of the air and further retard the escape of lint with the motes. a Ordinarily after the machine has been set for operation no further adjustment is necessary until the saws have been resharpened until their diameter has been appreciably reduced. After such resharpening the air flue may be raised through the mediumof the nuts 53A, 55A, the wing plates and wing extensions correspondingly moved inward toward the saws. "Usually the 'wing flaps 83 and 81 must also be adjusted,

It will be understoodthat the wing pins GI and 63 maybe rigidly secured to the wing plates 55, 61

respectively, andpr'ovided with adjusting arms corresponding to the arm 93 on the rod 89 and these arms be used in accomplishing the adjustment of these wing plates, and that numerous other variations in detail may be made. Iclaimz" 1. Ina delinter employing a bankof delinting saws, a mote-chamber open front and rear, disposed rarwardly'of and adjacent said saws, with its forward opening substantially-entirely above the level of the center of the saw arbor, said chamber having end walls extending forwardly and downwardly from said chamber opening into embracing adjacency with the outer peripheral edges of the saws, rearwardly of and below said saw arbor; an elongated air flue closed at its ends, disposed in longitudinal alinement with and vertically below said arbor and saws, and an exhaust passageway leading from said flue; said flue having a longitudinal opening extending substantially from onesaid end wall tothe other thereof, side walls extending from end wall to end wall and upward from the opposite sides of said openinginto adjacency with the periphery of said saws, and arcuate walls extending from end wall to end wall curving respectively rearwardlyandv upwardly, and forwardly and up.- wardly in-adjacency with the periphery of said saws, said rearwardly and upwardly extending wall continuing to a junction with the lower wall of said mote chamber; said arcuate walls in cooperation ,with said end walls and said saw bank forming respectively air passageways leading downwardl and forwardly from said chamber in cooperative relation with the movement of said saws to drawlint from said chamber and saws into. said flue, and downwardly and rearwardly in opposed relationto the movement of said saws to oppose movement of lint past said flue opening.

2. A delinter in accordance-with claim'l which includes means for adjusting the level of the forward edge of th lower wall of, said mote chamber,

" 3. A delinter in accordance with claim 1, which includes means for adjusting the rearward edge of the lower Wall of said mote chamber relatively to the forward edge thereof.

4. In a delinter employing a bank of delinting saws, a mote chamber open front and rear, disposed rearwardly of and adjacent said saws, with its forward opening substantially entirely above the level of the center of the saw arbor, said chamber having end walls extending forwardly and downwardly from said chamber opening into embracing adjacency with the outer peripheral edges of the saws, rearwardly of and below said saw arbor, an elongated air flue closed at its ends, disposed in longitudinal alinement with and vertically below said arbor and saws, and an exhaust passageway leading from said flue, said flue having a longitudinal opening extending substantially from one said end wall to the other thereof, side walls extending from end wall to end wall and upward from the opposite sides of said opening into adjacency with the periphery of said saws, and arcuate walls extending from end wall to end wall curving respectively rearwardly and upwardly, and forwardly and upwardly in adjacency with the periphery of said saws, said rearwardly and upwardly extending wall continuing to a junction with the forward edge of the lower wall of said mote chamber; said arcuate walls in cooperation with said end walls and said saw bank forming respectively air passageways leading downwardly and forwardly from said chamber in cooperative relation with the movement of said saws to draw lint from said chamber and saws into said flue, and downwardly and rearwardly in opposed relation to the movement of said saws to oppose movement of lint past said flue opening, means for adjusting said arcuate walls radially with respect to said bank of saws, means respectively for independently varying the levels of the forward edges of the lower and upper walls of said mote chamber.

5. A device'in accordance with claim 4 which includes means for independently varying the levels of the rear edges of said upper and lower mote chamber walls relatively each to its respective forward edge.

6. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, walls forming a chamber open front and rear, said walls being positioned to establish an opening for centrifugal discharge from said saws substantially coextensive with the length of said bank and substantially entirely above the level of the axis of said saws, the lower of said walls extending forwardly into adjacency with the peripheral edges of said saws, walls forming a flue leading from adjacency with the periphery of said bank of saws below the arbor of said saws; wall means cooperating with said bank of saws extending from the forward edge of the lower wall of said chamber, arcuately downward and forward to said flue to establish a lint capturing passageway along said saw bank into said flue; additional wall means, cooperating with said bank of saws, extending downward and rearward along a substantial arc of said saw bank to said flue to establish a lint repelling passageway into said flue, means for arcuately adjusting the length of said additional wall means to increase or diminish said repelling air flow, and means for setting up exhaust flow through said flue passageway from said lint capturing and lint re-' apart to embrace said bank, said walls having edge portions overlapping the rear and bottom peripheral portions of said saws, a wall member spanning from end wall to end wall rearwardly of said saws, said wall member having its forward edge approximately at the level of the axis of said saw bank in adjacency with the peripheral edge of said saws, to establish a discharge control level for the heavier materials, extending rearwardly and downwardly from said forward edge, and terminating in an unobstructed discharge edge, whereby air flow may be set up toward said saws opposing escape of the lighter materials with said heavier materials; an arcuate wall spanning from end wall to end wall extending from the forward edge of said wall member, arcuately downwardly, forward, and upward in conforming adjacency to the periphery of said saws to establish a passageway from the space above said wall member along the said saw peripheries, said arcuate wall being interrupted intermediate its rear and forward edges to form a; discharge opening, segregating said passageway into approach and departure portions, 'a removal passageway leading away from said opening, and means for setting up exhaust flpw through said removal, said approach, and said departure, passageways, whereby to separate and deflect lint from said heavier materials above said wall member, and prevent escape thereof through said departure passageway.

8. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, a pair of end walls spaced apart to embrace said bank, 'said walls having edge portions overlapping the rear and bottom peripheral portions of said saws, a, wall member spanning from end wall to end wall rearwardly of said saws, said wall member having its forward edge approximately at the level of the axis of said saw bank in adjacency with the peripheral edge of said saws to establish a discharge control level for the heavier materials and extending rearwardly and downwardly from said forward edge, means for adjusting the forward edge of said wall member toward and away from said' saws, an arcuate wall spanning from end wall to end wall secured to the forward edge of said wall member and adjustable therewith,

said arcuate wall extending from said wall member, arcuately downward, forward, and upward in conforming adjacency to the periphery of said saws to establish a passageway therealong, said arcuate wall being interrupted intermediate its rear and. forward edges to form a discharge opening, segregating said passageway into approach and departure portions, a removal passageway leading away from said opening, and means for setting up exhaust flow through said removal passageway to draw in lint through said approach, and substantially prevent escape .of lint through said departure passageway.

9. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, a pair of end walls spaced apart to embrace said bank, said walls having edge portions overlapping the rear and bottom peripheral, portions of said saws, an arcuate wall spanning from one said end wall to the other thereof and embracing a major portion of the lower front quadrant and substantially the entire'lower rear quadrant of said saw bank, with its upper rear edge positioned substantially at the level of the shaft of said saws to establish a level for control of centrifugal discharge of heavier materials and entrained lint from said saws, said wall extending in conforming adjasaid passageway into approach and departure passageways, a flue leading away from said opening, and means for setting up exhaust flow through said flue to establish downward flow through said approach passageway, and separation and removal of lint from said centrifugally discharged materials, and opposed flow through said departure passageway resisting escape of lint therethrough, the space above said arcuate wall rearwardly of saidsaws being substantially unobstructed, whereby said downward flow may set up in said space and above said wall, air flow toward said saws to accomplish said lint separation and removal of lint from said heavier material.

10. In combination with'a' delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, a pair of end walls spaced apart to embrace saidbank, 's'aid' walls having" edge portions overlapping'the rear and bottom? peripheral portions of said'saw's, an arcuate wall.

spanning from one. said' end'wall to the other thereof and embracing the major portion of the.

lower front quadrant and substantiallythe entire lower rear quadrant of said saw bank, with its upper rear edge establishing a discharge control level for the heavier materials, said wall lying in conforming adjacency tothe periphery of said saws to establish-a passageway therealong, said arcuate wall being interrupted intermediate 'its rear end forward edges, to form a discharge opening segregating-said passageway into approach and departure portions, the portion of said arcuate wall rearwardly of said opening ineluding an upwardly extensible portion adjust able to vary said control level, means for securing said extensible portion in desired position of extension, a removal passageway leading away from said opening, and means for setting up exhaust flow. through said removal passagewaytodraw' in' lint through said approach, and substantially prevent escape of lint through said departure;

passageway.

, 11. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, lint removal and capturing means including a pair of end walls spaced '-apart to embrace said bank, said walls having edge portions overlapping the rear and bottom peripheral portions of said saws,- an arcuate wall spanning from one-said endwall to the other thereof .and embracing the major portion of the '-lower front quadrant and substantially the entire, lower rear quadrant of said saw bank, with its upper rear edge establishing the discharge control level for the heavier materials,- said wall lying in conforming adjacency to the periphery 10f said saws to establish a passagewaytherealong said arcuatewall being interrupted intermediate its rear and forward edges, to form a discharge opening segregating said passageway into ap- 'proach and departure portions. a removal passageway leading away from said opening, and

means for setting up exhaust flow through said removal passageway to draw in lint through said approach, and substantially prevent escape of lint through said departure passageway, the portions of said arcuate wall, forwardly and rearwardly of said removal passageway, respectively including extensible portions, means respectively securing said extensibleportions in desired position of extension, and means for supporting and adjusting said removal passageway and said ing from the from said bank of saws wall means in adjacency to, and cooperating with, said bank of. saws, and

having its upper edge at approximately the level of the axis of said bank, of saws, and rearwardly thereof to establish a discharge control level for the heavier materials, said wall means extending downwardly to said flue to establish a lint capturing passageway leading into said flue; addi-' tional wall means below and forward of the axis of said bank of saws and in adjacency toand cooperating with said bank of saws, extending downwardly and rearwardly to said flue to establish a lint repelling passageway into said flue, means for supporting and adjusting said structure radially toward said saws as they are reduced in diameter from time to time as by" sharpening, and means for setting up exhaust flow of air through said flue and. said lint capturing and lint repelling passageways.

' 13. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, wall'sforming a flue below and leading away from said bank of saws; wall means cooperating with said bank of saws, and having its upper edge at approximately shaft level of said bank of saws and rearward thereof to establish the discharge control level for the heavier materials, said wall means extending downwardly to said flue to establish a lint capturing passageway leading intosaid flue; addivtional wall means, below and forward of the axis of said bank of saws andcooperating-wit'h said bankof saws, extending-downwardly and rearwardly to said line to establish a lintrepelllng passageway into said flue, means for arcuately adjusting the height of, the flrst said wall means to establish the level of free centrifugal discharge from said-saws, and means for setting up exhaust air flowthrough said flue and said lint capturing and lint repelling passageways.

chamber open front and rear, said walls being positioned to establish an opening for centrif ugal' discharge from said saws substantially coextensive with the length i" said bank and substantially ent rely above the level of the axis of said saws, the lower of said walls extending forwardly into adjacency with the peripheral edges of said saws, Wall's-forming a flue spaced from said chamber, leading" from adjacency with.

the perphery of said bank of saws below the arbor of said saws; wall means in adjacency to, and cooperating with; said bank of saws extendforward edge of the lower wall of said chamber, downward to said flue to establish a lint capturing passageway leading along said saw bank into said flue; additional wall means, in adjacency to and cooperating with said bank of saws, extending downward and rearward therealong to saidflue to establish a lint repelling passageway into said flue, andmeans for setting up through said passageways and said flue ,lint capturing. and withdrawing exhaust flow of air; whereby to establish through said open end mote chamber, air flow toward said saws opposing" escape of lint centrifugall discharged with heavier material from said saws; to traverse said I 14. In combination with a delinter employing a. bank of delinter saws, walls forming a mote move lint from said saws therein; and to oppose.- escape of lint in said repelling passageway.

15, In combination with a delinter employing a-bank of delinter saws, a pair of end walls spaced apart to embrace the end saws of said bank, said walls having edge portions overlapping the rear 'said lint downwardly through said passageway edge portions overlapping the rear and bottom peripheral portions of said saws, a wall member lint through said capturing passageway and reand bottom peripheral portions of said end saws;

and narrrow upper and lower wall members spaced apart, cooperatively spanning from end wallto end wall and lying rearward of said saws, said upper and lower walls being positioned to. establish with said end walls a chamber rearwardly open for centrifugal discharge from said saws substantially entirely above the level of the axis of said saws, and said lower wall extending forwardly into adjacency with the peripheral edges of said saws; an arcuate wall spanning from end wall to end wall extending from the forward edge of said lower wall, arcuately down-- ward, forward and upwardly in conforming adjacency to the periphery of said saws to estab-- ,lish a passageway therealong, said arcuat wall being interrupted below said saws, a flue leading downwardly and away therefrom, and means for setting up through said passageway and said flue, lint capturing and withdrawing exhaust flow of air; whereby to establish through said open end chamber, air flow toward said saws, opposing escape of lint centrifugally discharged with heavier material from said saws; and to traverse to said flue; and to oppose escape of lint in said passageway forwardly of said flue. I

16. In combination with a delinter employing. a bank of delinter saws, a pair of end walls spaced apart to embrace said bank, said walls having spanning from end wall to end wall rearwardly of said. saws, said wall member having its forward edge approximately atthe level of the axis of said saw bank in adjacency with the peripheral edge of said saws, to establish a discharge control level for the heavier materials, and extending rearwardly and downwardly from said forward edge, an arcuate' wall spanning from end wall to end wall, and including an extensible section secured atv its upper edge to and supporting the forward edge of said wall member, said arcuatewall extending from the forward edge "of said wall member, arcuately downward, forward, and upward in conforming adjacency to the periphery of said saws to establish a passageway therealong, said arcuate wall being interrupted, intermediate its rear and forward said passageway into approach and departure portions, a removal passageway leading away from said opening, means supporting said arcuate wall, said means being adjustable to move said wall and removal passageway toward or away from said saws, and means for setting up exhaust flow through said removal passageway to draw in lint through said approach, and subtantially prevent escape of lint through said departure passageway.

17. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of saws, walls forming a flue, below and leading away from, said bank of saws: a first wall means in adjacency to, and cooperating with, said bank of saws, and having its upper edge at approximately the level of the axis of said bank of saws, and rearward thereof, to establish a discharge control level for'the heavier m terials and entrained lint. said wall means above the level of the axis of said saws, and said I extending downwardly to said flue to establish a lint capturing passageway leading into said flue; additional wall means, below and forward of the axis of said bank of saws and in adjacency to and cooperating with said bank of saws, extending downwardly and rearwardly to said flue to establish a li nt repelling passageway into said flue, and means for setting up exhaust flow of air through said flue and said lint capturing and lint repelling passageways, the space above said first wall means, rearwardly of said saws being substantially unobstructed, whereby said downward flow may set up above said wall, air flow toward said saws to accomplish said lint separation and removal of lint from said heavier materials.

18. In combination with a delinter employing a bank of delinter saws, a pair of end Walls spaced apart to embrace said bank, said walls having edge portions overlapping the rear and bottom peripheral portions of said saws; upper and lower wall members spaced apart, cooperatively spanning fromend wall to end Wall and lying rearwardly of said saws, forming a rearwardly open mote chamber, said wall members being positioned to establish an opening for centrifugal discharge from said saws substantially entirely lower wall member extending forwardly into adjacency with the peripheral edges of said saws, an arcuate wall spanning from end wall to end wall extending from the forward edge of said lower wall member, arcuately downward, forward and upward in conforming adjacency to the periphery of said saws to establish a passageway therealong, said arcuate wall being interrupted Vertically below the arbor of said saws to form a discharge opening segregating said passageway into approach and departure portions, a removal passageway separated from said mote chamber, leading downward and away from said opening, and means setting up through said passageways lint capturing and withdrawing exhaust flow of air; whereby to establish through said open end mote chamber, air flow toward said saws opposing escape of lint centrifugally discharged with heavier material from said saws; to traverse said lint through said approach portion, and remove lint from said saws therein, and to oppose escape of'lint in said departure portion, of said pas- 'sageways.-

JOHN B. RICKER. 

